Police to conduct DUI checkpoint in this Sacramento-area city. Here’s when and where

Sarah Linn
·2 min read
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Police will be on the lookout for drunk drivers and those without valid driver’s licenses in the Sacramento area this week.

Elk Grove Police Department officers will be stationed at an undisclosed location within city limits from 7 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday, according to a Wednesday news release.

Elk Grove is just south of Sacramento in Sacramento County and is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area.

Police said the DUI checkpoint will focus on “removing impaired drivers, as well as unlicensed drivers, from the roadways.”

Officials will hand out educational materials about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs and other intoxicants.

In addition to drunk driving, impaired driving includes the use of medications, among them prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Although medical and recreational use of cannabis is legal in California, driving under the influence of marijuana is still prohibited.

Funding for the sobriety checkpoint comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, police said.

Do I have to comply with police at DUI checkpoint?

California Vehicle Code 2814.2 says all drivers must stop and submit to a sobriety checkpoint inspection when law enforcement requires it.

However, a driver is not legally obligated to submit to field sobriety tests, pre-arrest breath tests or cheek swabs at a DUI checkpoint, according to Shouse California Law Group.

Read more: Do I have to comply with law enforcement at a DUI checkpoint? See what California law says

Can I avoid a drunk driving checkpoint?

If a driver has not yet been stopped by law enforcement, there are ways they can avoid the checkpoint.

There is no state or federal law that prohibits someone from turning around or finding another route — as long as it is safe to do so — to avoid a DUI checkpoint, according to Shouse California Law Group.

Read more: California driving laws: Red lights, merging, car tags and more. Here are the rules

What are penalties for driving under the influence?

If you are stopped by law enforcement for driving under the influence of intoxicants, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has the authority to revoke or suspend your driving privilege.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI can also face an average of $13,500 in fines, fees and more.

How to report impaired drivers

The Elk Grove Police Department encourages community members to call the agency’s non-emergency line, 916-714-5115, or 911 if they observe impaired drivers on the roadways.

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What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.